Home Insurance During Building Work

We can help cover your home if you are:

• Renovating your property yourself or have builders in
• Building an extension or loft conversion
• Carrying out works on an unoccupied building

Does home insurance cover renovations?

Typically, a standard insurer would not be able to provide or continue home insurance during renovations. This is due to the increased risk put on the buildings and contents whilst work is ongoing. You may have builders coming in and out and therefore the property is not as secure. The property may be exposed to the elements or left unoccupied for periods of time. The structure of the property could be weakened or contents accidentally damaged. There are many different reasons for an insurer to decline cover but ultimately you still need to insure your home. Luckily One Insurance Solution are experienced when it comes to this type of insurance.

What is a JCT contract?

A JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) is a set of contracts put in place for those undergoing larger scale renovations or building projects. Its purpose is to create clearer responsibilities for each party whilst the work is ongoing and provide more structured time scales and budgeting, without needing the use of a solicitor.

Often, a JCT is not put in place for smaller jobs. Similarly, you won't need a JCT contract in place if you are doing the work yourself.

When arranging your home insurance during building work, you will usually be asked if a JCT is in place. If you're not sure if you have one, this tends to mean you don't. This is because it is a separate contract put in place between you and your builder and would therefore be quite memorable. However if you are unsure, you can easily check with your builder.

What works do I need to inform my insurer about?

Your insurer will need to know about any works that are not considered cosmetic. Cosmetic could be classed as changing the bathroom tiles, replacing carpets or painting the walls. If you are building an extension, knocking down a wall or even putting in a new kitchen, its always best to check with your insurer. It is also worth thinking about the value of the items you are putting in and if you need to increase your levels of cover. For example, replacing an old kitchen with a new one worth £15,000, might mean needing to increase your buildings cover.